Photos courtesy of Erick Cloma & Escuela Taller
Escuela Taller understands the mixed reaction to the restoration done on the facade of the La Loma Cemetery Chapel that went viral recently. While it said that it does not blame the public for its reaction, the non-governmental organization (NGO) appeals for open minds and a sense of objectivity while discussing heritage conservation.
There were a number of reactions that applauded the efforts of Escuela Taller, the NGO that was tapped to helm the planned five-year restoration project of the 19th-century church.
Questions and concerns were raised, however, by a number of people on a social media post that featured the church’s newly restored facade. Many of them wondered why the facade was painted yellow, while there were others who felt that the church’s new look felt less authentic to its old Spanish stone church vibe.
Yellow for a reason
Completed in 1884, the La Loma Cemetery Chapel was built as a response to the environmental and health concerns during Spanish time. Among these are the 1863 Manila earthquake, the overflow of other state-run cemeteries such as Paco and Sampaloc cemeteries, and the need for more organized burials which also responds to the growing population of that time. It was also used as a fort by Filipino fighters during the Philippine-American War and was later partly shelled by a bomb.
Its former look and materials aged over time with vegetation growing on its facade.
On its Facebook post on May 1, Escuela Taller shared that they painted it yellow based on the “residues and material evidence” found on the church wall’s layers of plastering.
“Conservation remains to be a young field in the county and therefore we cannot blame the public for their mixed reactions as to the final outer look of the chapel. Escuela Taller as a technical consultant and implementer to these conservation projects is very keen on rigorous and methodical processes,” said Philip Paraan, Communications and Special Projects Officer of Escuela Taller.
He added that Escuela Taller “faithfully” follows and observes international standards as well as considers the context and specific issues of each heritage site it works on.
No easy feat
It was not an easy time to embark on an ambitious, skill-specific project amid a pandemic. To address the team’s mobility issues right after the project’s announcement in June 2021, Escuela Taller held a bike donation drive for its team.
Sixteen (16) graduates of Escuela Taller worked on the first phase of the La Loma Cemetery Chapel restoration efforts. These include carpenters and masons trained in the traditional trades or techniques. The team also had a site officer, a consultant-historian, and an officer in charge of heritage architecture.
After the end of the first phase, the conservation team was able to remove the destructive vegetation that crept over the masonry stones for years, get rid of the cement plaster that once covered the building, and rehabilitate and replace deteriorated and damaged masonry units. The team also reinstated lost details of the facade, removed the hazards in the cupola including the preparation of wooden posts, and repaired the wooden dowel atop the right pilaster.
Call for conservation measures
Paraan shared that the whole chapel or church is estimated to be restored within five years. The left and right sidewalls are estimated to be restored in a year, while 10 months will be allotted for the rear and another two years will be spent on the dome and interiors of the chapel.
Fr. Paul Woo, Director of the Diocesan Commission on Cultural Heritage of the Diocese of Kalookan, said that efforts are now directed toward looking for more sponsors, benefactors, and other assistance needed for the conservation of the left and right sides of the church.
The Diocese and Escuela Taller have also begun working on a Conservation Management Plan that will help find ways and means for funding and other resources needed to realize the plan.
Paraan said that preventive maintenance should be in place. This includes regular cleaning of the plastered walls to avoid the regrowth of vegetation. It is also ideal to occasionally apply limewash.
“Ideally, there should be a maintenance plan to regularly check the condition of the building and check and arrest potential threats to the building especially now that we have very volatile climate conditions. It is always good to consult experts including architects and engineers and even artisans-craftspeople who understand how these buildings were constructed and respond to time, weathering, deterioration, etc,” Paraan noted.
Image credits: Erick Cloma & Escuela Taller